Letter From Editor

Look at your hand, take a good look at it. There right there is a blank canvas. Now look at your feet and do the same observation. What do you see? A blank canvas right. Now, let us take it a step further and let's start imagining crisp autumn leaves dancing across the palm of your had, or ink being engraved into your flesh creating a picture perfect.

 

As you imagining your body going through this process, here is a little bit of insight. What you experiencing in your mind is a reality and is a form of body art. body art comes in many shapes and methods, body art is an artistic genre, originating in the 1970s, in which the actual body of the artWhat is body art body art is tattoos or jewelry ornamenting the body and is regarded as art. Body art consists of tattoos, piercings, body modifications, henna tattoos, another way body art can be incorporated in art installations, body paint, a typical example would be the face painting festivities that many kids are drawn too.

 

From the early parts of civilisation, the human body has been subjected to a form of art. First example originating from cave paintings and sculptures that formed a part of the representation of the human figure. This was a constant play in history and dated back to as far as the stone ages 10000 B.C.

 

With body art progressing from the stone age tribes from the African region adapted this trait reforming it as a symbol for hunting, religious and traditional reasons. Body art progressed and became a part of a tradition that is still passed down from generation to generation today. Face painting was a form of ‘make-up’ used to showcase one's status in a tribe as well as to what tribe you belong too. Natural materials such as clay and different flora became the bases of the traditional ritual.

 

Although body art was a way to showcase the status of the human being in tribal circumstances, in the western world, it became a reality of expression. The need to express one's self and became the new bases of the world of body art and many artists started dipping their toes into the unclear water of body art. This is where body modification made an appearance. Body modification was the physical modification of the human body be it tattoo instalments or piercings. Thus this was different to self-mutilation. With the new addition to the body art, world tradition was still a factor that came into play and was a form of beauty enhancements in traditional beliefs. However, with the traditional background, personal views and preference again made an appearance in the new addition to the body art family. When it came to inking tattoos onto the skin, it dated back to years of traditional purposes that later became a trending thing to take part in. Tattoo installations required both creativity and courage and often symbolises different things for different people.

 

In the art world, aspiring artists made a name for themselves by jumping into the body art pool, installations started and made amazing uproars in the art industry artists of all forms made a name for themselves as body artists. Tattoo artists created new worlds within the old world and made a revolutionary breakthrough. Art was brought to life by them and created a new perception of popular opinions. Artists include Jono Dry and David Bingham who were a part of the evolvement of the body art world.

 

Body art made a name in the art world through art installations via the human body. The human body was used to convey a message that required both physical and mental representation. The female body was one of the most covered art installations around with pieces reaching the top ten of the art installations of art. many artists used the women body as a canvas to rid women of the objectification and expectations of society and men in general. It created a platform to voice out that women need not succumb to what is said they should be. This created a new revolution in the art world and progressed the world of body art to a whole new level of perception.